UPS Ends MD-11 Flights at Its Air Hub in Cologne

UPS announced last night that the company will cease the operation of MD-11 aircraft in Germany for regular service at Cologne Bonn Airport. The MD-11 will be replaced by the quieter, more fuel-efficient 747-8 aircraft type, which offers more opportunities for the use of sustainable aviation fuel as soon as a larger supply becomes available.

(Köln) “We have a very close connection to the city of Cologne, where we have been engaged with the Air Hub since 1986,” says Laura Lane, UPS Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer. “We maintain over 3,500 jobs here and have made Cologne a testing ground for new sustainable logistics solutions. Similar to the introduction of our latest cargo bikes and electric delivery vehicles in the city center, the transition to quieter and more fuel-efficient aircraft is a testament to our commitment to achieving the global goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.”

UPS operates one of the largest airlines in the world and is at the forefront of using technologies to reduce noise emissions and fuel consumption. Initially in Louisville and then in Cologne, the company developed the CDA procedure (Continuous Descent Approach), where an aircraft lands in a continuous descent, eliminating the need for repeated acceleration to maintain the correct altitude. This procedure is now used by several airlines at the airport and reduces fuel consumption and emissions.

Daniel Carrera, President of UPS Europe, explains: “Our air hub in Cologne is our largest location outside the USA and a central part of our global network. It enables businesses in Cologne as well as throughout Germany and Europe to quickly reach customers around the world and helps them grow and succeed. We are constantly evolving our network, not only to make it more efficient but also to ensure that we are the best possible partner for the communities where we work and live.”

“UPS’s decision to remove the MD-11 from regular operations in Cologne is a strong sign of commitment to the location and good news for the local residents. UPS demonstrates that economic dynamism, ecological responsibility, and social consideration can indeed go hand in hand. My thanks go to the management and all political actors on site who have worked towards this,” says Nathanael Liminski, Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs, and Media, as well as Head of the State Chancellery.

As part of the company’s broader commitment to sustainable operations, UPS now uses 100% hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for large ground equipment, such as lift devices, belt loaders, tankers, and de-icing vehicles. As with all UPS locations in Germany, all electric processes at the Air Hub in Cologne, such as the 38 km long conveyor system, are powered by electricity from renewable sources (audited for 2022).

Cologne/Bonn Airport Acts as a Sustainable Hub

“Our airport is a modern hub that operates not only efficiently and customer-friendly but also sustainably and environmentally conscious,” says Thilo Schmid, Chairman of the Management Board of Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH. “As part of our sustainability strategy, we have successfully implemented a comprehensive noise protection concept for many years, which we continuously develop to further minimize flight noise. We are therefore very pleased that we, together with our long-standing and close partner UPS, are now achieving the common goal of no longer using the MD 11 in regular operations and replacing it with quieter aircraft of the latest generation. This shows that progress, a focus on sustainability, and good neighborliness can go hand in hand.”

Photo: © UPS